Redmond's Attorney Outraged by Murder Charges

April 22, 2004 at 7:39 PM EST - Updated June 27 at 1:41 AM

Michael Shiavone

As Miss Savannah 2003 Nikki Redmond prepares to go before a jury of her peers on charges she murdered her boyfriend, her attorney continues to claim she was only defending herself. Yesterday a grand jury indicted Redmond on malice and felony murder charges, two counts of possessing a gun during a felony, and aggravated assault. If convicted, Redmond would be locked up for life.

They're charges her attorney says are outrageous. Michael Shiavone says his client acted in self-defense and says there was nothing malicious about what she did. "I do not think there was any evidence of murder or felony murder or aggravated assault for that matter," he told us.

Shiavone says the charges do not fit the facts of what happened that night in December of last year. "Nikki Redmond acted in self-defense," he said. "But even if the state could prove there was some type of criminal conduct involved. it's simply not murder or felony murder under the facts that I heard at the preliminary hearing."

Redmond is still free on bond. Her attorney says his client is innocent and what happened that night was the result of his client trying to protect herself from a man who tried to hurt her.

Now, he says, the state is trying to convict her for charges that do not fit the crime. "Nikki acted out of fear and that's simply self-defense in Georgia law and you're not guilty of a crime if you acted in self-defense," Shiavone said. "We believe strongly that was the position Nikki was placed in by Kevin Shorter, not by Nikki Redmond."

Now this former beauty queen waits for the trial that will decide whether or not she'll remain free or if she'll spend the rest of her life behind bars. If convicted on either murder charge, Redmond could possibly face the death penalty.